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End of WW II
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Period: to
Das Leben der Anderen historical background + film events
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Formation of the SED in Soviet Occupation zone
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Formation of the GDR
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Uprising in GDR
Soviet refugees in BerlinIt started with a strike by construction workers in East Berlin about working conditions and turned into a general protest about the government. It spread rapidly across the country. It was violently put down by Soviet trops and tanks. Protests continued for a couple of weeks, 17th June being the pivotal day. Scores of people were killed. -
Building of the Berlin Wall
Military build up in BerlinLife in a divided citybbc footage as the wall is contsructedMany East Germans were travelling to West Berlin to allow them to travel to the West. This so called ' brain-drain' was costing the GDR many of its citizens. A temporary wall went up overnight, slicing the city in half. -
Erich Honnecker becomes leader of GDR.
Erich Honnecker had been in charge of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and in 1971 assumed most of the reins of power. In 1976 he assumed control of all of them. He remained in power until 1989. -
Birth of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Born in Cologne. He spends his childhood in New York, Brussels, Frankfurt and Berlin. -
Mikhail Gorbachev begins policies of Glasnost and Perestroika
In March 1985 the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev tried to start to reform the Soviet political system. He appealed to the people in an attempt to sidleine hardliners in his own government. The policies began to take effect and had big significance for the countries of Eastern Europe. -
Beginning of Das Leben der Anderen
The film begins in April 1985 with Wiesler instructing on how to interrogate suspects. -
Travel restrictions lowered in Hungary
Hungarian government allows GDR citizens to travel to Austria via Hungary. Many choose to do so. -
Günther Schabowski ends Communist rule!
During a non-descript press conference, the Central Committe Spokesman Günther Schabowski said that travel restrictions had been lifted, effective immediately and that people could go whereever they wanted. This had not been planned and was due to a misunderstanding on his part. This leads to a rush for the border crossings. Miraculously, the guards decided not to shoot and let the people past. -
Demonstrations in Leipzig - 70,000 people on the streets
Small scale demonstrations had been going on for several months, people were beginning to feel that things were going to change. -
Erich Honnecker replaced as state by Egon Krenz
Reforms were promised in an attempt to stem the tide of revolution. Not enough was done. -
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Opening of the Brandenburg Gate
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Dreyman meets Hempf in the Theater and begins to unravel the past
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Dreyman publishes his play "Die Sonate vom guten Mensch"
Dreyman publishes his book, and we see Wiesler buying a copy and reading the dedication. His smile shows how he realises his efforts were worthwhile. -
Von Donnersmarck wins a stint working with Richard Attenborough
Von Doonersmarck won an essay writing competition and his prize was to do work experience with Richard Attenborough. -
Von Donnersmarck writes the screenplay for the film
Von Donnersmarck wrote the screenplay for the film himself. He spoke with many former victims of the Stasi as well as former Stasi members themselves. He locked himself away in an Austrian monastery to be able to concentrate fully on his work. -
Release of Das Leben der Anderen
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Das Leben der Anderen wins Best Foreign Film Oscar
